Backstab: Kazakhstan and China agree to sideline Russia
Astana and Beijing are accelerating the development of the Trans-Caspian route to Europe, which bypasses Russia.
The corridor will carry goods from China through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. It is a more complex route than via Russia, but it is being actively expanded for several reasons.
These include sanctions risks, instability, and a desire to reduce dependence on Russian transit routes.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, if this corridor grows, Russia could lose its status as a key transit hub between Asia and Europe, along with billions in transport revenues.
The route’s capacity is expected to nearly double by 2030.
Kazakhstan is also increasingly moving away from Russian contractors in major energy projects, further highlighting Russia’s declining influence in the post-Soviet space.